Machine for spirally threading or grooving wire



J. F. CULVER.

SCORING DEVICE.

APPLICATION F1LED1uNE9,192o.

Patented Oct. 25, E921.

INVENTOR.

J. VIES.

MACHINE FOR SPIRALLY ADING 0R GROOVING WIRE, IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII AG.7.1919.

'1,39%7160 Patented Oct.. 25, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

irED STATES PAET i IA.

MACHINE FOB SPIBALLY THREADING- 0R GROOVING WmE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Uct. 25, 192i.

Application filed August 7, 1919. Serial.- No. 815,958.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH BAn'rLE'r'r Davies, accountant, subject ofthe King of Great Britain, residing at 225-231 Queen street, Melbourne,in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Spirally Threadingor Grooving Wire, of which the following is a specification.

Thls invention relates to improvements in machines for forming one ormore grooves or flat sides or ribs helically around a wire and refers,especially to the formation of spirally threaded or grooved wire for usein the manufacture of nails, and for other pur osea.

itherto it has been the custom to manufacture spirally threaded wire inone of the following ways viz., by twisting wire of angular crosssection (such as square) by drawing it through a fixed die of acorresponding shape by means of a winding drum which is itself rotatedon the axis passing through the die whereby the wire is twisted to thedesired pitch as it leads on to the said drum or by forming a spiralthread around the wire (without twisting the same) by passing the wirebetween two or more rotating rollers or moving plates having theirperipheries or faces as the case may be shaped to form a thread on thewire of a desired pitch, the said rollers either revolving around thewire or being prevented from so revolving.

The disadvantages of the first method are that it involves two separateoperations, that is first drawing the wire to the required shape incross section and secondly twisting the wire so drawn. Thetwistingoperation strains and weakens the wire and in addition as alength or coil of wire vvis rarely of an uniform degreel of hardnessthroughout, the softer portions are given a greater twlst than the hardportions with the result that the twist or pitch of the thread isuneven. The disadvantage of the second method is that the mechanismemployed is costly to manufacture and maintain and special dies must beemployed to shape threads of different lpitch even on wire of the samediameter, whi e inthe cases' where the rollers are prevented fromrotating around the wire a rib or ridge is formed longitudinally on thewire.

The object of the present invention is to provide simple and eiiicientmeans whereby w1re of ordlnary round section may in one operation beprovided with a spiral thread or groove of uniform pitch withouttwisting the same and without forming ridges longitudinally thereon.

The invention moreover comprises means for cleaning or removing anyfrayed ed es or burs formed on the wire during t e threading or groovingoperation.

I accomplish the above mentioned object by providlng means whereby avlen h or coil of wire is drawn from a bob in or swift through arotatable die onto a winding drum or drawing block in such a way thatthe wire will be drawn to the shape of the die and the rotation of thedie will form one or more grooves or flat sides or ribs helically on thewire according to the shape of the said die and without twisting thesaid wire. A"cleaning appliance is located between the die and thedrawing block to remove any frayed edges or burs formed on the wire bythe action of the die.

The die can be made to shape the wire to any approved section otherthan. circular and the pitch of the grooves or flat or other shapedsides formed thereby is determined by the relative speed at which thedie is rotated and the speed at which the wire is drawn therethrough.Means are provided for gripping the wire and guiding the same whilefeeding to the die and vthe gripping face of the die is made narrow toinsure it forming a correct s iral on the wire without twisting the sameetween the said die and .the drawing block.

In order that the invention may be readily understood reference will nowbe had to the accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a view in elevation of an apparatus embodying theimprovements comprised in the resent invention, parts of the apparatusbeln shown broken away for convenience of illustrating purposes.

Fig. 2 is a view in sectional elevation of a die forming an essentialfeature of the appao Lil n ratus and shows a piece of wire as in the actof passing therethrough and with one end provided with helically formedribs.

Fig. 3 is a view in sectlonal elevatlon of the die and the means forrevolubly supporting the same.

' Fig. 4 is a view in end elevation of a die adapted to impart atriangular section to a wire drawn therethrough.

Fig. 4' is a view showing a piece of wire in side and end elevation asshaped by the die shown in Fig. 4.'

Fig. 5 is a View in end elevation of a die adapted to impart arectangular shape to a wire drawn therethrough.

Fig. 5 is a view showing a piece of wire in side and end elevation asshaped by the die shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 6 is a view in end elevation of a die adapted to impart oppositelydisposed grooves in a wire drawn therethrough.

Fig. 6"- is a view showing a piece of wire in side and end Ielevation asshaped by the die shown in Fig. 6.

In these drawings the reference letter a has been employed to designatea frame upon one end of which is mounted a drawing block of ordinarydesign driven by gearing c from a driving shaft d operated in anyapproved way. The opposite end of the frame a is designed to rotatablysupport a bobbin e for holding a coil of wire f or the said bobbin maybe mounted independently of the frame altogether.

The frame of the machine between the bobbin e and the drawing block b isadapted to support a rotatable die carrying member.

g in one end of which is tted a removable die h. The die carrying memberg is adapted to receive its motion by a train of toot-hed gearing i fromthe driving shaft d and a pair or series of gripping rolls j are mountedon the frame between the die and the bobbin.

The die carrying member is supported in bearings g and its periphery isformed with gear teeth 7J which are adapted to mesh with the teeth ofone of the wheels of the gear train z'. The rolls j act as guides forand prevent any tendency the wire may have to twist as it passes to theshaping die h and in order to facilitate the drawing operation the saidwire can be passed through a lubricator lc of approved design, mountedon the frame near the guide rolls.

The end of the wire f is passed from the bobbin 'e through thelubricator lc, guide rolls 7' and die h and is secured to the drawingblock b which is constructed in such a way as to prevent the wiremounting on itself and thereby increase the speed at which it is drawnthrough the die and so affect the pitch of the thread The die k is ofsomewhat similar construction to those commonly used for drawing wireand the opening therein may bepf -to be formed on the Wire withouttwisting the same in the slightest degree.

t The working or engaging parts Z of the die are shown somewhatexaggerated in size in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings with a view todrawing particular attention to this feature of construction.

The die carrying member is tubular in form and the die h is inserted inone end thereof and retained iixedly in position therein by means ofpins L.

The ratio of the speeds of the drawing block b and the die h ismaintained uniform when imparting a thread of particular pitch to thewire and by varying their respective speeds threads of different pitchcan be cformed on the wire without changing the The die L is revolved ina plane at right angles to the forward movement of the wire and theshape of the opening of the die is imparted to the wire in a spiralform, the pitch of the spiral or thread depending entirely upon therelative speeds of the wire and the said die. The wire is drawn straightthrough the die L and is not twisted or rctated, the helical grooves,flat sides or ribs leing formed by the rapid rotation of the c 1e.

The gearing c for imparting motion to the drawing block b and thegearing i Jfor imparting motion to the die carrying member g are capableof adjustment to permit or variation of relative speeds so that thepitch of the groove or flat faces or ribs formed in or on the wire canbe varied as required.

The speed of the die la. can be varied relatively to that of the drawingblock b to produce grooves or ribs of different pitch by interchangingsome of the gear wheels in the gear train z' or by substituting a wheelor wheels of diierent Sizes for any of the said wheels,y

If necessary, in order to remove any ragged edges or dirt left on thewire after the same has passed through the die the Wire is passedbetween flexible members as wire brushes m or the like which are pressedagainst the wire lby springs 'n and the brushes may be arranged torevolve automatically in conformity with the screw thread to eiectuallybrush off al] ragged edges or burs formed on the wire during the drawingoperation.

I claim- 1. In a machine for forming helical threads .or grooves onround wire, a drawing die having an aperture other than circular axis ofthe said die, and-'means for rotating said die.

2. in a machine for forming helical threads or grooves on round wire, adrawing die having an aperture other than circular in shape, a daredentrance to and narrow bearing faces on the inner wall of the apertureof the die2 said narrow bearing faces being disposed 1n a plane at rightangles to the axis of the die, gearing for imparting rotationl to thedie, and a rotatable drawing block operated synchronously with the dieto draw the wire therethrough substantially as described.

3. In a machine for forming helical threads or grooves on round wire, adrawing die having an aperture other than circular in shape, a flaredentrance to and narrow bearing faces on the inner wall of the apertureof the die, said narrow bearing faces being disposed in a plane at rightangles to the axis of the die., a rotatable holder for the die, arotatable drawing block operated synchronously with the die to draw thewire therethrough, and gearing for imparting rotation to the die anddrawing block substantially as described.

a. A machine for forming helical threads or grooves on fround wirecomprising a frame, a drawing block rotatably mounted on the frame, adriving shaft and gearing for imparting motion to the drawing block, adie carrying member rotatably mounted in bearings on the frame anddriven by gearing from the driving shaft, a drawing die fitted removablyin the die carrying member and having an aperture other than circular inshape, a dared entrance to and narrow working faces formed on the innerwait of the aperture at the opposite end of the die, and means on thedrawing block or engaging the wire to insure the same being -drawnthrough the said die substantialiy as described 5. A machine for forminghelical threads or grooves on round wire fcomprisinf e frame, a drawingblock and a spool rota tably mounted on opposite ends of the frame, adriving shaft and gearing tor irnparting motion to the drawing blocks adie carrying member rotatably mounted in bearings on the frame betweenthe spool and drawing block, gearing operated from the driving shaft forimparting rotation to the die carrying member, a drawing die fittedremovably in the die carrying member and having an aperte re other thancircular in shape, a iared entrance to and narrow woriring faces formed,on. the inner wall of the aperture at the. eppgste end of the die,gripping means on thQ drawing block for engaging the end ofthe wifedrawn through the die, and exibe .members interposed be tween the dieand the mr/'ing block for removing burs formed @n the wire durin itspassage through the Said die substantial y as described.

In testimony whereof I have a'ixed my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOSEPH BARTLETT DAVIES.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM A. ASHTON, WM. BoNNERUr.

